Meanwhile, the head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group said its forces had “practically encircled” the eastern Ukraine city of Bakhmut, which has seen the fiercest fighting of Moscow’s invasion. He has said in the past few weeks that his fighters have seized three villages north of Bakhmut — Yagidne, Berkhivka and Paraskoviivka. Ukraine has said it will defend “fortress Bakhmut” for as long as possible, but this week officials said the situation was difficult. Russia is determined to seize Bakhmut — a now-destroyed city once known for its sparkling wine — as part of its wider aim of capturing the entire Donetsk region. Ukrainian troops have held out for months, fighting brutal trench warfare and artillery battles that have flattened large portions of the city.
